Hi everyone,
We are pleased to report that Revolution, the final volume of The War of the Democratic Coalition, is available now at all fine e-book retailers! For more information and a list of retailers, be sure to check out its book page here!
More news is on the way, so stay tuned!
Edit (12/13/2019): It would be more accurate to say that Helisah, Aegras, and Fasti took a pledge. Fixed!
Crosspost: ericmrozek.com
Let’s face facts. You’ve probably heard of a wide variety of stories that portray secretive evil organizations. Almost all of them have a foundation in the conspiracy theories that have seeped into our culture. With that in mind, what if I told you that there is some historical truth to this madness that I used to create The Raiders?
It sounds far fetched, right? How could a force for good in the world of Maereath be taken from something that sounds so evil?
Well, it’s not as simple as you think.
In the late 18th century, a wide variety of secret societies operated out of lodges on both sides of the Atlantic. You’ve probably heard of a few of them, but the most important one of all is the Freemasons. In those days, the society was a club where Enlightenment thinkers, kings, generals, and other notable folk could relax, do some work, and talk to each other without regard for religious or political issues.
However, some people didn’t agree with their ideas. Enter a young Bavarian professor by the name of Johann Adam Weishaupt.
Adam grew frustrated with the influence of Jesuit priests over the University of Ingolstadt, especially when they attempted to thwart the spread of the more liberal ideas of the period. He initially joined the Freemasons, but they were not quite open to many of his ideas. Therefore, he sought to create an organization that he called the Convent of Perfectibility, which was later changed to the Order of Illuminati in 1778.
Over its nine years of operation, the Illuminati expanded and clashed with other secret societies in the various German states of the time. Throughout that time, they championed many of the things that we take for granted like democracy, rationalism, secularism, and modernization.
There was just one problem.
The members couldn’t keep their mouths shut in public, so the order became an open secret. When Prince-elector Karl Theodor found out that the order had gained a bit of power in his part of the Holy Roman Empire, he banned all secret societies in his domain, seized what he could, and published it for all to see.
Unfortunately for our reasonably enlightened German friends, history can be a harsh mistress. Luckily for us, we know how their memory was corrupted and turned into the whack-a-doodle conspiracy theory (and evil organizations from pop culture) that we know today.
Near the turn of the 19th century, Augustin Barruel and John Robison developed the first pieces of the modern conspiracy theory by saying that the Illuminati were behind the French Revolution. They had absolutely no evidence to back up their claims, but that didn’t stop the fake news from making its way across Europe and the United States. The fear of such an organization didn’t do all that much in America, but it supposedly induced a sense of paranoia and fear in the European aristocracy. According to British historian J.M. Roberts, it got to the point where their panic and subsequent persecutions may have caused a number of democratic revolutions.
In the 20th century, the conspiracy was revived and expanded by fascists and fundamentalist Christians who objected to everything from modern liberalism to the kitchen sink. Their craziness inevitably gave us the internet weirdos that we know in the present day, but it also provided some of the creative inspiration behind organizations like SPECTRE, Abstergo Industries, and Hydra.
With all of this in mind, The Raiders developed from a combination of the original ideals of the Illuminati and other pro-Enlightenment organizations, some pop culture tropes like the Rule of Cool, and a few modern sensibilities.
In Destruction and Illumination, Helisah, Aegras, and Fasti took a pledge to uphold the ideals of democracy, free choice, rationalism, and justice. These principles have been the core philosophy of the series ever since its inception, but I felt that I had to back them up with the Rule of Cool. Therefore, it seemed necessary to develop the peaceful and violent aspects of the organization into a balanced whole. Over time, this led to everything from the action sequences that you see in the books to the little background details like their desire to preserve old stories.
On the other hand, I felt that it was wise to steer clear of an utter reliance on secret organizations. The Illuminati advocated for modern ideals, but they also barred women or many other outsiders from their ranks. This strange contradiction compelled me to look for other sources of inspiration. Thankfully, I was able to draw on the appearance of female spies during the Enlightenment, the Victorian era, and the World Wars. After reading their stories, it was easy to put two and two together and pave the way for an elf like Helisah Almari.
What fun!
Another writing diary will be coming soon. Keep it here!
Crosspost: ericmrozek.com.
About a year ago, we began a series of writing diaries that marked the progress of Revolution. Now that the editing process is complete, we have so much more to share with you. Over the next few weeks, we are going to embark on a journey to get you hyped for the final chapter of this trilogy. It all starts with the cover!
But before we unveil our latest masterpiece, let’s take a look at what went into it.
As you might be able to tell from our previous covers, we always attempt to differentiate each product with a compelling scene. We started things off with a minor skirmish on the cover of Destruction. After that, Independence gave us the chance to balance civilian life with the never-ending quest for freedom. Lastly, Illumination let us play with the Lady of Knives and the mysteries that awaited our fans.
When Revolution entered its editing phase, we realized that we needed something old and new. Luckily, our new artist, Liam Maher, was more than up to the challenge.
In the realm of the old, we wanted to balance the historical feel of the Telurian soldiers with elite nature of Thrakoth’s inner circle. With that in mind, Liam gave the soldiers some added pop by mixing old school uniforms with a regal purple. What fun!
In the realm of the new, we played around with the damage done by the war, leading to the urban environment in the piece. In order to deal with the passage of time, we also fiddled with some of the new weapons and equipment that Thrakoth’s elite warriors might have access to. When we turned it over to Liam, he mixed it up with some interesting variations on the Telurian arsenal. After all, our antagonist’s guard deserves the best of the best!
Speaking of the antagonist…
One of our most important rules in the conception of this series has been to strike a balance between the magical and the ordinary. Therefore, it was difficult to come up with a true depiction that fit Thrakoth’s status. If we made him too magical, he could have wound up looking like Sauron, the Nazgul, or the Lich King. On the other hand, normalcy could never fit such a tough antagonist.
Luckily, the story of the previous two novels provided some clever solutions.
Over the course of the series, Thrakoth gained renown as an incredibly powerful sorcerer and leader, so we brought that out with his burning blue eyes, calm demeanor, and commanding presence. On top of that, we knew that he would dress and arm himself for success in warfare, so every little detail from his knife to his incredibly bulky armor was of the utmost importance.
All of that effort made its way into a compelling final product. Here it is!
Revolution will arrive in early 2018.
Crosspost: ericmrozek.com.
As promised, it’s time to begin a series of writing diaries to show you the progress behind our upcoming novel, Revolution. While we don’t have a firm release date yet, we can tell you that it is the final chapter of The War of the Democratic Coalition series and will face a lot of changes as we move from the drafts to the final copy. However, that doesn’t mean that we can’t give you a few morsels of interesting information here and there!
Since we are entering the third act of a single story, it is important to consider the necessity of a good title. As with any piece of pop culture, we wanted it to have a special significance to the story while not giving too much away. To use our previous two stories, Destruction chronicles the outbreak of the war against Thrakoth and the struggle to hold everything together, whereas Illumination refers to both the age that the characters live in and their quest to uncover the truth behind the battles that rage around them.
So, what does Revolution mean in the grand scheme of things?
It refers to the world to come and the final battle to control and shape the future. Whoever wins the war will be the guardian of a new age, but will it be one where freedom expands or one under the iron-fisted rule of Thrakoth?
If you’ve read through Destruction and Illumination, you may have gotten the idea that the war in both novels is driven by ideology, rather than a looming, unnamed evil. We take great care in our production process to slowly build on these ideas with each passing installment. In Destruction, we introduced the concept of Thrakoth’s Grand Design. With the release of Illumination, we built on the ideology of an empire by introducing the danger of his vision to a free people.
With this in mind, the only way to continue would be to have Thrakoth reveal the why behind what he is doing.
While we don’t want to spoil it for you, we will say that the ultimate reveal follows in the grand tradition of what makes a good bad guy. In keeping with our promise to deliver fun entertainment for everyone, we also took great care in the production process to ensure that Thrakoth is not a reference to recent events or anyone that is currently living.
Why would we focus so much on this aspect of the story? It’s important to realize that people read, watch, and play to take their mind off of current worries. Therefore, it’s not a good idea to risk losing up to half of an audience by creating a thinly veiled reference to, say, the 2016 election cycle.
For now, we’ll leave you with that. Happy New Year to one and all!
Crossposted to ericmrozek.com.
Free Eagle Studios, LLC is proud to announce the development of Revolution, the final novel in the War of the Democratic Coalition series. Set in the world of Maereath, Revolution chronicles the closing days of the war that began in Destruction and Illumination, leading up to a cataclysmic final battle that will determine the fate of our characters and the world at large.
About The Novel:
The final battle for the fate of Maereath begins. As Thrakoth launches bloody offensives throughout the world, Helisah, Aegras, and Fasti race home to plot the final battle. While Aegras begins the construction of a weapon that will change the world, Helisah and Fasti embark on a secret campaign to decimate the Telurian war machine and draw their newly crowned Emperor out into the open.
As the opposing forces of democracy and tyranny begin their final clash, both sides will stop at nothing to secure victory. In the west, an army from three continents gathers to hold the line and assist Helisah, Aegras, and Fasti at any cost. In the east, Thrakoth commands his soldiers and spies to gather their full strength and march behind him to glory. As the future of Maereath hangs in the balance, the brave and the dangerous shall fight and die to usher in an Age of Revolution.
Free Eagle Studios Website: freeeaglestudios.com.
Twitter: @FreeEagleStu & @EricMrozek.
Hi everyone,
We are pleased to announce that Illumination will be released on July 29th, 2016. The book is out for reviews right now, so be sure to check out the page on Goodreads. You can also preorder it at your local Amazon retailer by clicking here. The book currently stands at 289 pages and will cost you $3.99 (or its’ regional equivalent).
Enjoy!
Crossposted to ericmrozek.com.
Free Eagle Studios, LLC is pleased to announce the next chapter in the Maereath series, which is called Illumination. The sequel to Destruction chronicles the continuing adventures of Helisah and Aegras Almari as they press on against Thrakoth and the Telurian Empire. Only this time, their mission becomes much more of a personal struggle as they fight to keep the enemy from sowing chaos across the rest of the world.
As the second chapter of the trilogy, Illumination promises to deliver all of the things that you loved from Destruction, along with new surprises, badass new characters, and an expansion of the rich mythology of the world of Maereath.
The book is 289 pages long, so we are anticipating a price point of $3.99 in the United States. Regional equivalents will, of course, be differently priced depending on the market.
We will have more details in the coming days here and over in our Books page. For now, enjoy the synopsis!
The Lady of Knives Takes The Field.
Although Callistan and Fiean forces have won a stunning victory at the Battle of Arduth, the discovery of a Telurian superweapon program has shaken the Democratic Coalition to its’ core. In response to the threat of mass destruction, Helisah and Aegras Almari have volunteered for a covert search-and-destroy operation inside the Dalarian Republic. What they thought was just a difficult mission soon exposed a Telurian conspiracy led by Thrakoth’s deadliest servant: The Lady of Knives.
With Helisah’s new love, Fasti, at their side, the Almaris travel south to stop the Lady from spreading the will of her overlord across the continent of Arthan, but they may be too late. Although they are outgunned and under siege, Helisah, Aegras, and Fasti must fight on to end the threat of a second front and uncover the ancient secrets that can end the war, once and for all.
Crosspost from ericmrozek.com.
Now that I’ve given you a sneak peek into the world of Maereath, it is time to announce where I am going to take you next as the adventure continues.
The Sequels
As I’ve mentioned in other areas of the Internet, I have outlined the full story of Helisah Almari from beginning to end and am currently working towards the completion of the project. Without spoiling too much, Destruction is an examination of the beginning of the war and the motives of our main cast, which is as fitting of a start as any for a new series of fantasy novels. That being said, the next stories will be a little bit different in nature.
We know our heroes and heroines. We know our main villain. Therefore, the sequels will take readers into a continuation of the war and an expansion of the mythology behind the world of Maereath.
The Anthology
I am also hard at work on a further expansion of the world through a series of shorter stories that show pivotal moments in the world of Maereath. Much like Destruction and its’ sequels, these works will usually follow a conflict within the world and the fallout from it. Unlike the war against Thrakoth, the stories may follow one or many different characters as they struggle through their own battles. Some of them will certainly be based around the battles of the time period, but others will be based around political intrigue and debate.
Due to their shorter length, these stories will be exclusively sold in digital format.
Do I Need To Read One Series To Understand The Other?
With a few exceptions, you will not have to worry about missing out on any content because the anthology and main series are related to, and not dependent upon one another. That being said, I want it to be rewarding for people to read both of them because you might see the ancestors of characters that you know or an explanation behind the ideas or sayings that are presented in passing in a particular story.
Release Schedule
I am intending to release these stories on an alternating basis between the anthology and sequels. At the moment, I am working on the first anthology story that will show the world of Maereath as it was about five hundred years before the events of Destruction. After that, the sequel to Destruction will move from its’ outline to the page.
Crosspost from ericmrozek.com.
Just as it is important to craft heroes that an audience can empathize with, it is crucial to construct a supporting cast of characters that are distinctive in their desires, motivations, and actions. Even if they are on the page for a few moments, a strong group of supporting characters can elevate a novel to the point where it feels like readers are taking a look into a different world. In Destruction, the many characters that Helisah and Aegras come across on their journey are tasked with a dual purpose, which can be explained in the following questions:
When I was writing this book, I wanted my supporting cast to answer both questions because it is a great way to make the world of Maereath feel big. While Helisah and Aegras are the most important characters to anyone that reads the book, the progress of invention, politics, and military strategy that is shown throughout the novel means that they are a crucial part of a larger story. Sometimes, they can set off into danger by themselves, but they usually find themselves in situations where they cannot walk alone. That is where a trio of characters matter the most.
Gialle, Duustan, and Fasti – Three Soldiers And A Very Messy War.
Gialle, Duustan, and Fasti are the most obvious examples of how the two questions that I referenced could be answered, especially since they effectively become main characters in the chapters that feature them. When Helisah first comes across them, the trio are largely business-oriented because of their military training and slightly differing attitudes towards outsiders. As the months pass, I made a larger point about their influence on the story because they open up and reveal themselves to be wise councilors, filthy-minded comedians, and strong warriors that are hell-bent on stopping Thrakoth. On top of that, these three characters introduce elements of specialization into the story in order to demonstrate the point that the world of Maereath is not a haven for superheroes. They know that Helisah and Aegras don’t know everything about the world, but even more importantly, they apply the same wisdom to themselves and let our main characters show their full potential when it is called for.
Helisah accepts that idea and look after them as well, revealing the humble and somewhat selfless side of their minds as the story presses onward. Even though she does not have a telepathic connection to them, our heroine develops a very strong reason to see them as a part of why she fights against the Telurian Empire, which allows her to become something more than she was at the start of her journey.
In the conclusion of this series on the novel, I will explore where the next steps for building out this universe.
To Be Concluded In Part Five.
Crosspost from ericmrozek.com.
The development of the main cast of Destruction came about from an effort to make the fantasy genre as accessible to the masses as humanly possible. While some of my reasoning for it may have been based around profitability, I think that one aspect of fantasy that puts people off of it is the fact that it is often based around an enormous main cast. For instance, I like Game of Thrones as a show, but it represents a prime example of a saga where a vast cast can be detrimental to the story. Some of the characters may be relatable to the audience because we spend a lot of time with them, but others are of questionable importance because they are given scant side stories or plots that are completely dropped out of nowhere.
When crafting Destruction, I felt that the best solution to get around this problem and bring in new fans would be to think small. I wanted to build a small, intimate, and very personal story that is based around a tight cast. Therefore, I developed the concept of a diary that dealt with the lives of our two main characters: Helisah and Aegras Almari.
Like almost every character, Helisah and Aegras emerged primarily from my desire to be challenged when it comes to writing a story, but that is not the only reason why they exist. Since Helisah is our point-of-view character, it made sense to me to develop their relationship as the cornerstone of the novel because we are often defined by our associations with family and friends in the real world. One such example that came to mind for me was how most people may bicker with their siblings, but you know that they will always care about one another through hell and high water. By taking that and mixing it up with a little bit of telepathy, I’d like to think that I created a fantasy version of something that is all too familiar in our day-to-day lives, which helps to reduce the need to suspend disbelief and enjoy the story. Now, as for the supporting cast, that is another story for another time…
To Be Continued in Part 4.
